Incubator



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. H. MORGAN.

INGUBATOR.

No. 591,870. Patented Oct. 19,1897.

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3 She'etsSheet 3. P.H. MORGAN.

INGUBATOR.

(No Model.)

No. 591,870. Patented Oct. 19,1897.

B M m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK I-I. MORGAN, 'OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

INCUBATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591 ,870, dated October19, 1897;

Application filed J'anuary ZO, 1896. Serial No. 576,111. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK H. MORGAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Incubators, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to incubators; and it consists in theconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinaftershown and described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation, andFig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section,Fig. 4 is a cross-section, and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section, of thecirculating-heater detached. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a portion ofthe incubator from the outside. Fig. 7 is a plan View, and Fig. 8 is anend view, of one of the egg-supporting trays re moved.

A is the outer casing, which is preferably made with double outsidewalls to form a dead-air space A around the outside wall and top, andwith a cross-partition A also with a dead-air space A, a short distanceup from the bottom, as shown. The front of the casing is provided withdouble glass doors A A, while the front of the chamber below thecrosspartition A is likewise provided with a door A as shown in Fig. 2.Rising from the center of the cross-partition A is a hollow frame Aextending from front to rear, and adapted to support a thermostat B, ofany approved form. Resting by their outer edges upon ways D D and bytheir inner edges upon the cross-frame A are the egg-supporting trays,consisting of outer frames D having an inner frame D the lattersupporting a wire-cloth diaphragm D about midway of the outer frame, asshown. Resting upon top of the outer frame D is an egg-supportinggrating D formed of woven wire, with the meshes somewhat larger than thesmaller diameter of the eggs to be supported thereby.

Upon each side of the outer frame D are rollers D D connected by a stripof cloth D, the rollers having journals a a projecting out through theframe and adapted to be turned by a key a as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

The cloth D rests upon the wire-cloth diaphragm D so that, when theroller D is revolved outward,the cloth will be drawn across the frame inone direction, and drawn in the opposite direction when the other rollerD is revolved in the opposite direction. The eggs will be set in placethrough the meshes of the grating D with their small ends resting uponthe cloth D above the wire-clothsupport. Then when the cloth D is drawnin one direction byrevolving one of the rollers D or D the eggs will allbe inclined in one direction, as shown in Fig. 1. Then .if the otherroller be revolved, the cloth D will'be drawn in the opposite direction,carrying the lower ends of the eggs with it, and inclining them in theopposite direction, thus Very easily and quickly accomplishing thenecessary turning of the eggs at stated intervals.

WVithin the space beneath the cross-partition'A is a compressed-airreservoir E, connected by a tube E to the inlet side of the thermostatB, as shown in Fig. 2, while another tube E leads from the outlet sideof the thermostat to a diaphragm-governor valve E beneath the casing A,as shown.

Supported in the interior of the upper part of the casing A is a closedhot-water tank F, and outside the casing A, preferably at one end, is acirculating-heater consisting of two shells G G connected by inclinedcross-tubes G and connected at their tops to the upper part of thehot-water tank F by piping F while the lower end of one of the shells islikewise connected to the lower part of the tank by piping F ,the latterextended into the tank along its lower part and ending in a crossheadpipe F so that the water before entering the piping F must traverse thewhole length of the tank. By this means heat applied to the shells G Gwill cause the water to freely circulate through the whole length of thetank.

Beneath the shells G G a lamp H is supported by a swinging bracket H sothat it can be easily removed and replaced,and with a disk H upon theouter end of itswick-actuating shaft H, the disk being provided with aseries of perforations b near its rim, as shown in Fig. 6.

H is a lever pivoted to the end of thewickshaft H and having a pawl bfitting into one of the perforations b, so that any movement of theouter end of the lever H will cause the shaft H to be turned, and thusraise or lower the wick of the lamp H, and correspondingly increase ordecrease the flame.

Through the top of the casing A an opening K is formed and covered by adoor or lid K hinged at one side at d and connected by a chain cl, orother means, to one end of a lever K the latter supported pivotally by astandard K from the top of the casing A, as shown.

c is a lever pivoted by one end to a hanger c from the diaphragm-valve Eand pivoted at c to the stem .0 of the valve, and projecting outwardbeyond the casing A, and connected at its longer end by a rod 0 to theouter end of the lever K as shown. The lever 11 projects past the rod 0and is loosely connected thereto by a strap or loop 0 so that any risingor falling movement of the rod 0 will carry the lever H with it.

Fitting down through the cross-partition A and also through the bottomof the casing A, are tubes M M open at their ends to form connectionsbetween the interior of the easing A and the open air. The upper ends ofthese tubes M M are covered by hinged valves M W, the latter connectedby cords g, running over pulleys g to the lid K as shown, so that whenthe lid is lifted the valves M M will likewise be opened.

The thermostat B being set to operate at any predetermined temperature,when that point is reached, the valves of the thermostat will permit asupply of compressed air to pass from the tube E leading from thereceiver E, to the tube E leading to the valve E, which by expandingwill depress the lever c, which will, through the rod 0 and lever Kraise the lid K and permit the hot air. to escape. This will continueuntil the temperature has fallen to a sufficient extent to cause thethermostat to again close its valves and shut off the supply ofcompressed air, and thus permit the valve E to collapse and release thelevers c K and rod 0 and permit the lid K to fall shut.

The upward motion of the rod 0 will carry the lever H with it andcorrespondingly lower the lamp-flame and reduce the heat. Then when thereturn movement of the rod 0 takes place, the lamp-flame will be againraised to its former position. At the same time that the lid is raised,as before stated, the valves M M will be opened, thus admitting a supplyof fresh cool air to replace the hot air escaping from the opening K.

The opening K being placed above the hot- Water tank F, and the latterprojecting on all sides nearly to the interior of the casing A, theescaping air must pass over the heated tank, and the outside air mustlikewise pass over the heated tank, so that no danger exists of an undueamount of cold air entering the chamber occupied by the egg-trays. Bythis simple means the temperature is perfectly controlled automatically,the variation of Fahrenheit being sufficient to cause the thermostat tooperate, so that the temperature will never vary more than a"Fahrenheit.

As the wick of the lamp burns off, the circle of perforations in thedisk H enables the attendant to perfectly adjust the lever H by settingthe pawl 12 into a new perforation.

The sizes of the tubing connecting the tank F and heater G G? will hegraduated to correspond to the requirements of the circulation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In anincubator, the combination of an inclosing casing, an outwardly-openingvalve through the top of said casing, egg-holding trays supported withinsaid casing, a closed water-tank supported in the interior of saidcasing near the top and beneath said valve so that the escaping air mustpass over and around said tank, a heater outside said casing andconnected into said tank, a lamp supported beneath said heater, areservoir of compressed air, a flexible diaphragm connected by tubingwith said compressed-air reservoir, a thermostatconn'ected into saidtubing and adapted to admit. compressed air to the rear of saiddiaphragm, and a system of levers connecting said valve and themechanism for adjusting the wick of said lamp, to the front of saiddiaphragm, whereby the rising and fallin g of the temperature withinsaid casing will cause said valve to be opened or closed and the flameof said lamp correspondingly raised or lowered, and the temperaturewithin the casing thereby automatically regulated, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. In an incubator, the combination of an inclosing casing, anoutwardly-opening valve through the top of said casing, aninwardlyopening valve through the bottom of said cas- I ing andconnected to be actuated simultaneously with said upper valve,egg-holding trays supported within said casing, a closed water-tanksupported in the interior of said casing near the top and beneath saidupper valve, a heater connected into said tank, a lamp supported beneathsaid heater, a reservoir of compressed air, a flexible diaphragmconnected bytubing with said compressed-air reservoir, a thermostatconnected into said tubing and adapted to admit compressed air to therear of said diaphragm, and a system of levers connecting said valvesand the mechanism for adjusting the wick of said lamp, to the front ofsaid diaphragm, whereby the rising and falling of the temperature withinsaid casing will cause said connected valves to be opened or closed andthe flame of the lamp correspondingly increased or decreased and theheated air allowed to escape from the upper part of the casing and thecooler air to enter through the bottom of the casing, substantially asand for the purposeset forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANK I-I. MORGAN.

